Letter to the Honorable Bill de Blasio, Mayor of New York City - Raised Shoreline Resiliency Project

Letter

Dear Mayor de Blasio,

We write to inquire about the status of $100 million originally planned for the City's "Raised Shorelines" resiliency project, including $33 million earmarked for Staten Island.

It is our understanding that the City reallocated the Raised Shorelines funding to cover Build it Back's cost overruns, but that City capital dollars would replace the diverted federal monies to avoid any delay or "funding gap." The City has worked diligently and collaboratively to advance Staten Island's Army Corps of Engineers "seawall," but, as you know, neighborhoods south of Great Kills Park will not benefit from that project.

That's why the $33 million in Raised Shorelines funding slated for Staten Island's South Shore is so important. Neighborhoods from Ft. Wadsworth to Great Kills will see reduced flood risk from the Army Corps seawall, and Tottenville residents will benefit from the Living Breakwaters and dunes project underway by the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery. A critical gap exists between Great Kills and Tottenville which the Raised Shorelines initiative will help fill.

We understand the immense complexity of implementing a comprehensive resiliency plan for all of New York City, and we appreciate the progress that your Office of Recovery and Resiliency has already made. We respectfully ask that you or an appropriate designee please share with us the status of the Raised Shorelines resiliency initiative, specifically the $33 million planned for Staten Island's South Shore. We know this funding is not intended as a comprehensive solution to flood risk in the region, but incremental progress is important.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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